This module guides you through key foundational processes in representational painting, focusing on establishing accurate drawings (roadmaps), composing dynamic images, and selecting approaches to style. You will learn to identify and use compositional principles, differentiate between "loose" and "sloppy" sketches, and apply classic strategies such as the rule of thirds and unequal spacing to create visual interest. Through examples and demonstrations, you will compare major painting styles (linear and pictorial), and gain practical insight into working with different subjects: still life, portrait, and landscape. The module culminates in understanding how to bring a painting to a finished state with appropriate detail and coherence.

This module explores the essential role of values in art, guiding you to understand how lightness and darkness define shape, structure, and mood in a painting. Through video lectures and hands-on demonstrations, you'll discover how values underpin composition, influence edges, and can be manipulated through compression and keying to support your artistic intentions. You will apply practical techniques for analyzing, selecting, and organizing values to create visually compelling images and evocative atmospheres, building a foundation that enhances both your grayscale and color work.

This module explores the fundamental relationship between color and value and examines how these elements work together to create convincing, expressive paintings. Through practical demonstrations and in-depth analysis, you'll learn how to accurately evaluate, select, and adjust colors to fit your compositional needs. You will master the properties of color, including hue, saturation, brightness (value), and temperature. You will also discover the importance of grays and chromatic grays in naturalistic painting. The module covers various color wheels and schemes, the psychology of color for mood, and hands-on techniques for painting with vibrant, balanced colors. By the end, you will be equipped with professional strategies to manipulate color and value for dynamic, engaging artwork.

This module explores advanced techniques and workflows in digital painting, focusing on both the unique possibilities and the inherent limitations of the medium. Through comparative analysis with traditional painting, you will learn to maximize digital tools such as layers, textures, and specialty brushes. The module also addresses ways to overcome challenges related to expressiveness in digital artwork. Practical demonstrations of both "alla prima" (direct painting) and layered approaches will deepen your understanding of painting strategies. The module concludes with a comprehensive digital painting demonstration that combines all concepts covered. By the end, you will be prepared to make informed choices in digital painting methods and optimize your creative process.

This video recaps key course concepts and provide practical advice and encouragement for ongoing practice and continued growth in digital painting.